Bayern Munich close on Bundesliga title with victory at Arminia Bielefeld

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich restored their nine-point cushion at the top thanks to a 3-0 victory at relegation-threatened Arminia Bielefeld, taking them within touching distance of a 10th straight league crown.

With only four games left, the Bavarians rebounded from Tuesday’s shock Champions League exit at the hands of Villarreal with a solid win and regained their lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund before the two teams meet in next Saturday’s crunch Klassiker in Munich.

Bayern took the lead in the 10th minute after Alphonso Davies squared for Robert Lewandowski, who took a touch before Arminia defender Jacob Barrett Laursen inadvertently helped the ball over the line.

Having edged a cagey half, the visitors doubled their advantage with the last kick through Serge Gnabry, who chased Joshua Kimmich’s pass from the right and hit a brilliant-first time volley.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side added a third following a sweeping counterattack with six minutes remaining as Kimmich sprayed the ball left for Lewandowski, and the Polish forward passed to 19-year-old substitute Jamal Musiala to finish from close range.

Arminia had dropped into the automatic relegation spots following Hertha Berlin’s win over Augsburg on Saturday and remain in 17th place, three points adrift of the safety zone, after defeat by Bayern extended their winless run to seven games.

There will be no Bundesliga blog on Easter Monday but it will return on Monday 25 April